diff --git a/elements/ntp/os-apply-config/etc/ntp.conf b/elements/ntp/os-apply-config/etc/ntp.conf
index be3a8c563..4d40a92b2 100644
--- a/elements/ntp/os-apply-config/etc/ntp.conf
+++ b/elements/ntp/os-apply-config/etc/ntp.conf
@@ -14,11 +14,19 @@ filegen clockstats file clockstats type day enable
 restrict -4 default kod notrap nomodify nopeer noquery
 restrict -6 default kod notrap nomodify nopeer noquery
 
-# Local users get more
+# Local users may interrogate the ntp server more closely.
 restrict 127.0.0.1
 restrict ::1
 
+# Remote NTP server(s) to synchronize with.
 {{#ntp.servers}}
+{{#server}}
 server {{server}}
-{{#fudge}}fudge {{server}} {{fudge}}{{/fudge}}
+{{/server}}
 {{/ntp.servers}}
+
+# Specify the internal hardware clock as a reference clock.
+# Set a high stratum so this is only used if all external clocks fail.
+# This will mitigate skew until external clocks return to service.
+server 127.127.1.0 # local clock address
+fudge  127.127.1.0 stratum 10
diff --git a/elements/ntp/os-refresh-config/configure.d/50-ntp b/elements/ntp/os-refresh-config/configure.d/50-ntp
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..d68345a8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/ntp/os-refresh-config/configure.d/50-ntp
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -eu
+set -o pipefail
+
+# NTP server to sync with.
+NTP_SERVER="$(os-apply-config --key 'ntp.servers.0.server' --type raw --key-default '')"
+SERVICE_NAME="$(svc-map ntpd)"
+
+if [ -n "${NTP_SERVER}" ]; then
+    ntpdate -q "${NTP_SERVER}" ||
+        { echo "ERROR: ntpdate cannot connect to: ${NTP_SERVER}"; exit 1; }
+
+    # Check ntpd is running, if it is stop the service.
+    service "${SERVICE_NAME}" status && service "${SERVICE_NAME}" stop
+
+    # Set the system clock to the value of the NTP clock.
+    # Note: This will not sanity check the ntp server like ntpd.
+    ntpdate -b "${NTP_SERVER}"
+    hwclock --systohc # Re-align the H/W clock. (incase of power loss)
+
+    service "${SERVICE_NAME}" start
+fi
diff --git a/elements/ntp/os-refresh-config/post-configure.d/50-ntp b/elements/ntp/os-refresh-config/post-configure.d/50-ntp
deleted file mode 100755
index 8cba2c520..000000000
--- a/elements/ntp/os-refresh-config/post-configure.d/50-ntp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-service ntp restart || service ntpd restart
diff --git a/elements/ntp/svc-map b/elements/ntp/svc-map
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7289d5649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/ntp/svc-map
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+ntpd:
+  default: ntp
+  redhat: ntpd